ISLAMABAD: Former allies including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and others announced on Tuesday to form a coalition government and also invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to enter “reconciliation” process for the sake of the country. The announcement was made following a meeting of the political leadership, mostly from the former Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance, at the residence of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

The meeting was attended by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, MQM-P convenor Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Sadiq Sanjrani of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and Istekhkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Aleem Khan.

Speaking at a joint news conference after the meeting, Zardari said that they have decided to form a coalition government together and wanted the PTI to be included in the “reconciliation” process.

Will sit in opposition if independents form govt: Shehbaz Sharif

He said that reconciliation is needed in the current political situation and they also want the PTI to be a part of this process. “We want that PTI should also enter the reconciliation process. We are also ready to talk to other political parties,” he said, adding that the economic and defence agenda should be common.

“We should move forward with our commonalities… so that we can make Pakistan successful,” he further stated.

Zardari’s remarks come hours after PPP’s central executive committee (CEC) decided not to become part of the federal cabinet.

Shehbaz Sharif, in his remarks, called for an end to “issues of ego”, adding that there is a need is for taking “revolutionary steps” to rescue the country’s economy.

“Come and I again invite everyone to come and agree on a Charter of Economy. Come, move forward and let’s together promote the Charter of Democracy and end the things we said against one another in the past,” he said.

“Forgive and forget… Let us have this Charter of Reconciliation,” Shehbaz Sharif further said.

He said that he request his brother Nawaz Sharif to accept the office of the prime minister.

However, soon after the joint presser, PML-N secretary information Marriyum Aurangzeb stated in a post on X that Nawaz Sharif has nominated Shehbaz Sharif as candidate for the slot of the prime minister.

During the presser, Shehbaz Sharif said that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz will be the candidate for the slot of Punjab chief minister.

He further stated that the next task on the agenda is to solve the country’s economic issues. “Today, we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate. I am thankful to Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N,” he said and also thanked the leaders of the political parties.

Shehbaz Sharif further said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was busy in his party meeting due to which he was unable to attend today’s meeting.

“Now our war is against the country’s challenges. The first challenge is the economy. We have to stabilise it, which is a huge task. Nations move forward when their leadership unites and decides to end confrontations and take the nation forward,” he added.

To a question, the PML-N president said that if PTI has the majority they should come forward and prove it.

The IPP leader, Aleem Khan, said that Pakistan is going through an extremely difficult phase with inflation impacting the poor and economic crisis aggravating.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024